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cslinger

April 26, 2007, 01:22 AM

I don't think I have ever met a real expert who is willing to admit they are an expert.

The key is find folks who know a little more then you and learn from them. Keep doing this as there will always be those who know more then you. Pass this knowledge down. You may be an expert to some but a novice to others and that is the way of life. Always be humble enough to know that you don't know everything.

That fact is there is always somebody faster, smarter, wiser or just plain better than you are. This isn't a bad thing IMHO. Of course we could take the liberal standpoint and give everybody a hug and make everybody the quarterback, cuz like that's how it works in the real world. Sorry I digress.

My philosophy and it has taught me much through my life.

bensdad

April 26, 2007, 01:22 AM

It's the internet. We're all experts:neener:

Geronimo45

April 26, 2007, 01:24 AM

I am the only one professional enough to carry this Glock Fotay.

obxned

April 26, 2007, 01:34 AM

If you think you are an expert, then you aren't!

CountGlockula

April 26, 2007, 01:36 AM

To me, the piece of paper is pretty important. So if you have at least 6-10 certifications hung on your office, then I'd label you as an "expert".

But don't forget to teach the regular folks what you've learned.

cslinger

April 26, 2007, 01:38 AM

To me, the piece of paper is pretty important. So if you have at least 6-10 certifications hung on your office, then I'd label you as an "expert".

I am not saying I haven't met very learned folks with lots of "paper" but those pieces of paper don't always mean a darn thing. I have learned quite a bit from folks who would be the last people you would think had anything to offer. Never judge a book by its cover. Childish teachings but very pertinent to life I have found.

plexreticle

April 26, 2007, 01:40 AM

The more you know, the more you know you don't know.

Nomad, 2nd

April 26, 2007, 01:41 AM

I am no expert and will never be.

I have had the honor of meeting the late Col Cooper a couple of times, and have stayed with him in his home. I have not heard him describe himself as an expert, I have not heard James Yeager describe himself as an expert, I have not heard Pat Rogers describe himself as an expert, I have not heard Hans Vang describe himself as an expert.

I will never be an expert.

Knowledge meerly revels to us the depths of our ignorance.

Edited to add: I have more than 6-10 Certs that I could hang on my wall... I am no expert.

Soybomb

April 26, 2007, 01:52 AM

It's the internet. We're all experts
:D Perfect.

I don't know how to identify experts, but as Nomad sort of pointed out I've found that people who claim to be an expert in something never are.

Gustav

April 26, 2007, 01:53 AM

Everyone is at a different level and has different interests or areas of expertise we can all learn from each other even the best experts can learn new tricks.
Pass on what you can to others when and where you can to those who want to learn,
Many of the old timers I have known are now gone they had forgetten more than I may ever know.
Take the time to share what you have learned with others especially the younger folks since they will carry the torch when we midle aged or older guys are all gone.

tnieto2004

April 26, 2007, 02:13 AM

It's the internet. We're all experts

Thats about what I get out of it .. HAHA

Mark_from_Iowa

April 26, 2007, 02:50 AM

There's an old saying, goes something like:

You learn more and more about less and less, until you eventually know absolutely everything about nothing. Congratulations! You're an "expert".

mnrivrat

April 26, 2007, 02:51 AM

Knowledge meerly revels to us the depths of our ignorance.

I think I would have said wisdom instead of knowledge, but it will do .

We had a saying that you had to live at least 100 miles away in order to be an expert. That came from the fact that our business headquarters was a 105 mile drive from our manufacturing plant. (where I worked )

A dumb ass with a degree is an educated dumb ass - not an expert, nor necessarily a wise person.

There are a lot of knowledgable people when it comes to firearms, and those that are passionate, and who work at gaining knowledge through their personal experiences, and through their education ( well read so to speak ) are the closest thing we have to the answer you seek.

Nobody knows it all - anybody who thinks they do, is far from an expert IMO.

Pilgrim

April 26, 2007, 02:54 AM

An expert is someone who:

Travels more than 50 miles to tell you how to do your job.

Is old enough to look distinguished.

Is constipated enough to look concerned.

DixieTexian

April 26, 2007, 02:55 AM

An expert isn't someone who knows everything, but rather someone who knows that someone else may know something that they don't knoe themselves.

george29

April 26, 2007, 03:09 AM

An expert is anyone who you pay to hear what he has to say.

Diamondback6

April 26, 2007, 03:27 AM

To me, an expert is someone who when everyone calls him an "expert", he tells you he's not, he's just an "advanced student" who still has more learning to do.

GRIZ22

April 26, 2007, 04:26 AM

Expert is a title others give you. Anyone who claims to be an expert (not someone who claims they some expertise in an area) probably isn't.

If you're in a group that needs to do something and you're the only person who's done it before, guess what, you're the expert.

DWARREN123

April 26, 2007, 08:54 AM

Ain't no experts, just some folks knows more than others.:evil:

USSR

April 26, 2007, 09:06 AM

I think "area of expertise" is a more apt expression. While I have shot and reloaded for many shotguns and handguns, I am now concentrating on LR rifle shooting and precision reloading, and generally confine my advise to that area.

Don

WeThePeople

April 26, 2007, 09:09 AM

I deal with "experts" on a daily basis. It is my "expert" opinion that most of them are only "experts" on their own opinion.

Now, I do deal with a few people that I consider to be experts in their field but most of them really don't consider themselves to be such because they realize that there is still so much to learn.

Perhaps that is the best indicator of an expert; someone who knows their field well, but doesn't pretend to know it all.

SamTuckerMTNMAN

April 26, 2007, 09:18 AM

Wow, this is an IMHO reply if there ever was one. I think an expert has many years of doing what he does. Some formal training, a desire and curiosity to grow and learn more, and familiarity above his peers. An expert shouldb e able to handle situations that are out of the ordinary with calm and competence, should have trained to deal with adverse conditions and in the seasons of life found their training to bear fruit as adverse conditions come and go. An expert has also discovered, humbly, that one cannot know or prepare for everything, so sometimes the calmness is in accepting a less than desirable resolution to a problem, or one's own inadequacy.

IMHO for sure

st

also I don't think false humility makes one an expert, there are fakers who say "Oh I'm not an expert" but in body language say they are, and of course don't know squat. Confidence does not mean incompetence. Sometimes it's nice to work with someone who, when asked, says "I know my sh**."

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